VIDEO: MasterChef Calombaris on tech, customers & what matters in business

Speaking after the launch of ANZ’s new secure payments system for business customers, ANZ BladePay, Calombaris says making the dining experience as “wonderful” as possible was vital for his business.

" All I want my management within the restaurants to worry about is the customer."
George Calombaris, Entrepreneur & MasterChef

“At the end of the day, all I want my management within the restaurants to worry about is the customer,” he said. 

Calombaris owns a number of restaurants, including Gazi, Hellenic Republic, the Press Club and others. He says a centralised control structure is an important part of his group’s success.

“The brains behind the businesses are in one place and control everything from finances to marketing to human resources,” he said. “This is a seriously important part of the business.”

“It’s got to be up to date with technology, it’s got to be forward thinking and it’s got to be able to give management across the group the information and tools they need to perform their day-to-day duties.”

ANZ BladePay is designed to help businesses improve the efficiency and experience of their customer transactions.  Calombaris’ group is working with RedCat, one of six point-of-sale vendors involved with BladePay, developing customised applications for the platform at his restaurants.

Calombaris says improved payments tech keeps staff from worrying about balancing tills and other distractions of the past   

“Now, with technology, we need to be better at it so we can focus on what’s really important,” he says.  

Calombaris also touched on the importance of the customer experience and what goes on behind the scenes in a business. Watch the video above to find out more.

Phoebe O'Sullivan is a contributing editor at BlueNotes